Many restaurants in Clarendon have recently closed due to construction of larger projects or simply because of lack of business. A new Australian restaurant is going to become the next new business to try and break the cycle in the area. Owned by Michael Darby, co-founder and principal of Monument Reality, the new restaurant called Oz will replace La Tagliatella over the summer.  La Tagliatella, which opened in 2013, found it hard to attract customers while keeping up with the high cost of rent which led to its closing on February 20, leaving a prime spot open for Oz.

Oz will be heavily based off Australian culture. It will offer casual dining and a lively bar that reflects Australia’s many watering holes. Darby’s main goal is to create a friendly community atmosphere where people can communicate with others outside of their friend groups.

Due to the uncertainty of people’s reactions the idea of communal seating which is commonly seen in Australia was passed on during planning. The restaurant will be designed as an urban rustic area and will display many works of art by an Aboriginal artist from Australia. Construction is set to start in May, and Darby hopes to open the doors by late August.

The menu will be influenced by the cuisine down under. It will include crocodile and kangaroo when possible, beetroot and king prawns, as well as their infamous meat pies and sausage rolls. For those who prefer otherwise, there will be a set of American dishes on the menu as well.

While much excitement awaits the opening of this new restaurant, Clarendon is infamous for its fast pace closings. With the restaurant business becoming more and more competitive, especially in a neighborhood such as Clarendon, the stakes are high for all new restaurants to stay in business and keep customers coming back.

While Clarendon is competitive in the restaurant business, Australian cuisine and atmosphere is new to Arlington and already has many excited to try the different cuisine from down under.